Welding apparatus



Jan. 5, 1943.

l. F. wELLER WELDING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 30. 1941 um 5E... wf W Patented Jan. 5, 1943 WELDING APPARATUS Irving F. Weller, Schenectady, General Electric Company,

New York N. Y., assigner to a corporation of Application December 30, 1941, Serial No. 24,90%

(Cl. 21S-14) 8 Claims.

My invention relates to welding apparatus and more particularly to gas-arc welding apparatus.

In gas-arc welding, a gaseous medium is supplied to and about the welding are during the welding operation. One form of gas-arc welding for which my apparatus is particularly suited is known as atomic hydrogen welding. In atomic hydrogen welding use is made of the heating effects resulting from the recombination of hydrogen which has been dissociated through the agency of some suitable means such as an electric arc.

It is an object of my invention to provide gasarc welding apparatus which is extremely light. compact and easily manipulated.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a gas-arc welding torch of improved construction.

Further objects of my invention will become apparent from a consideration oi the construction of the gas-arc welding torch and the ilexible connection for supplying gas and electricity thereto illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing. Fig. 2 of this drawing is a cross-sectional view of the handle portion of the torch shown in Flg. 1, Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are cross-sectional viewsv of Fig. 2 along the lines 3 3, 4 4 and 5 5 thereof, Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle structure and electrode-holding portion of the metallic tubes forming part of the torch, Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view along lines 'I 'I of Fig 6 showing additional features of the electrode-positioning disk located in each of the nozzles, and Fig. 8 is a view with parts broken away showing the arrangement for introducing gas and electricity into one end of the hose whose other end is connected to the welding torch.

The gas-arc welding apparatus illustrated in the drawing comprises a torch and its exible hose connection through which gas and electricity are supplied thereto. 'I'he torch is provided with a pair of electrode-holding gas-conducting metallic tubes having parallel portions located within the handle of the torch and curved portions which project beyond the handle and.

are angularly disposed relatively to one another at their ends. Angularly disposed nozzles are attached to the ends of these tubes. The arcing terminals of electrodes inserted through the nozzles and curved portions of the tubes are held thereby in a desired angular position relative to one another, and gas supplied through the tubes and nozzles is directed about these arcing terminals and the arc established therebetween.

Means are provided in the handle of the torch Cil for moving the parallel portions of the tubes lengthwise of one another'. Means are also provided in the handle of the torch for supplying gas and electricity to these tubes. This meansis so constructed that it permits the relative lengthwise movements of the electrode-holding gasconducting metallic tubes. 'I'his' means terminates in a manifold located in the other end of the handle. The gas hose and flexible conductors enclosed therein are attached to this manifold.

The gas-arc welding torch III illustrated in the drawing comprises a handle II which constitutes a support for a pair of relatively movable tube supporting members I2 and I3 located therein. These members have parallel passageways lI4 which are aligned with one another. One of these tube supporting ymembers I2 is attached by a screw- I5 within one end of handle II, and the other tube supporting member I3 projects from the same end of the handle and is movable lengthwise thereof. Telescoping screw members I6, making a threaded engagement with one another, are employed for moving these tube supporting members relativelyto one another. One of these screw members is attached to the end of the handle II and the other is rotatably supported on and lengthwise movable with the tube supporting member I3, being mounted thereon between collars I'I which are attached thereto. A screw Il passing through a slot extending lengthwise of handle II engages tube supporting member I3 and prevents it from turning in handle II while yet permitting lengthwise movement thereof in the handle.

A pair of electrode-holding, gas-conducting metallic tubes I9 are supported movable members I2 and I3. These tubes have parallel portions which extend through the aligned parallel passageways in the tube supporting members, one tube being attached to one of these members and movable lengthwise .of the other thereof and the other tube being attached to the other of these members and movable lengthwise of said one thereof. 'I'he attachment between these tubes and their support members is accomplished through washers 20, although other means may be employed. These washers are soldered or otherwise affixed to the outside surface of the metallic tubes and are countersunk at the ends of the aligned parallel passageways in the tube supporting members to which they are also afllxed by pointed claws.

Metallic tubes I9 are also provided with electrode-holding curved portions which project beby the relatively yond tube supporting members i2 and it, and are angular-ly disposed relatively to one another at their ends. rThe passageways in these tubes are larger than the electrodes ffii which they are adapted to hold, and each oi the tubes has near its end a'crooked portion i? which forms, within the tubes, cit-set electrode deecting portions which frictionally'engage and hold the electrodes 2i in the passageways. The electrodes are preferably made of exible rods of tungsten.

The angularly disposed ends ci metallic tubes iii are provided with hippies 23 havinglthreaded 4electrode passageways 2b for engaging the electrodes and positioning them relatively to the passageways through nipples 23 and nozzles 2S. The threaded edge periphery of each of these disks is provided with notches or passageways 2l for the iow of gas from one side thereof to the other. provided with slots 28 which extend between the notches and across the eccentric electr( ie passageways 26. The blade of a screw driver or some siimlar instrument placed in these ,slots 2t v:may be employed for adjusting the disks 25 relatively to the nozzles Eil within which they are located so as to locate the eccentric electrode passageway therein in the desired position for holding electrodes 2i centrally of the passageways through vnipples 2S and nozzles 2t. lThis adjustment is required .by reason of the curved pas-l sageway and electrode-holding surfaces in tubes i9.

Y Gas and electricity are supplied to these tubes i9 through a manifoid 2s held in the other end of handle ll by a screw iii. The gas passageways iormed by tubes 3i having a gas tight fit in this manifold are connected by exible hoses Si to the ends of tubes i@ within the handle. The flexible hoses 32 may be of any suitable construction; for example, they may be made of rubber to accommodate the limited lengthwise movement ,of one of the tubes l@ relatively to the yhandle and manifold 29 therein.. A pair of electrical conductors 33 make a gas tight t with and extend through this manifold. They are connected by a pair of exible electrical conductors 34 to the ends of tubes i9. These exible conductors 34 accommodate the limited movement of one of the tubes i9 lengthwise of the handle.

Gas and electricity are supplied to the torch I through a hose 35 one end of which encloses a reduced end portion of the manifold 2S. This hose encloses a pair. of flexible electrical conductors 36 Whose terminals are connected to the portions of conductors 33 extending beyond the reduced end portion of the manifold. The other end of this hose is closed by a plug 3l (Fig. 8) through which extends a gas passageway 38 and a pair of conductors 39 which make a gas tight t therewith. These conductors are connected with the other terminals of the ilexible conductors 36 within hose 35. The ends of the conductors extending beyond the head of plug 31 are `connected .by another pair of conductors G0 to a The upper portions of disks Q are alsov assauts source 'of arc current and voltage. A gas hose di is connected with passageway Sii in plug di through the agency oi a tube l2 inserted in and making a gas tight rit with the head portion of ping Sli. .eis sh in Fig. i the head of this plug may be ded with a sleeve is ier shielding the ges electrical connections therewith.

l-Landle ii, tube supporting members l2, i3 and manifold are made of insulating material such as Tentolite, Bakelite, iiber, or some similar insulating materiai. 'ihe projecting curved end portions of the metallic tubes is and nipples 23 lare also preerabiy coated with a layer of electrically insulating enamel 343. Screw members i6, collars ih washers 2G, and manifold tubes 3i are preferabiy made of metal. The terminals of conductors e@ which are attached to the inner 'ends of tubes i@ are preferably insulated from one another by a covering l5 of insulating material. Plug 3l may also be made o insulating mater-iai.

While the torch is preferably made of the materials above specified, it is of course, apparent that a wide latitude in selection of materials may be exercised. It is neceary, however, to insulate the current conducting parts oi opposite polarity from onev another as well as from the` operator and the work, since in this way damage to the torch and the work and injury to the operator are avoided.

Electrodes 2i are inserted into the curved end portion of tubes is through the discharge ends of nozzles 245. These electrodes are held in tubes i9 by the electrode deiecting surfaces formed by the crooked portions 22 at the ends of these tubes. The electrodes should extend from the nozzles a certain amount such as illustrated in Fig. l, and by manipulating screw members i8 the tubes i9 may be moved relative to one another to bring the arcing terminals of the electrodes together and then separate them to strike an eiectric arc. It is not necessary, however, to manipulate the screw members in order to strike the arc if the electrodes, with a proper separation for the desired arc, are brought into engagement with or wiped across the charred surface of a wooden block. The screw members also provide an adjustment for moving the electrodes toward one another as they are slowly consumedY After the electrodes have been consumed a certain amount, it will be necessary to interrupt the welding operation and withdraw the electrodes from the nozzles and tubes by means of a pair of pliers, or the like, so that they again assume a position relative to one another such as shown, for example, in Fig. 1. Gas supplied through tubes la, is discharged about the arcing terminals of the electrodes 2i and the arc established therebetween.

In atomic hydrogen welding the gas is hydrotherein, since the presence of oxygen inhibits the formation of any substantial amount of atomic hydrogen. It is, of course, apparent that the apparatus disclosed may be used for other forms of gas-arc welding in which the combined heating eilects of the arc and the combustion of gas are employed for welding.

The apparatus above described is extremely aso-ssa light, compact and easily manipulated. The flexible hose and conductors enclosed therein add little to the weight of the torch. In fact, the cooling eii'ect of the gas iiowing through hose u makes it possible to use conductors 3i of much smaller size than would be possible if these conductors were outside of the hose and provided with the necessary wear resisting layers of insulation. Th'e torch itself is small, compact and perfectly balanced by reason of the arrangement oi' parts therein. Furthermore, the lengthwise adjustment of the tubes by the means provided or their equivalent means greatly decreases the size oi' the torch and streamlines its over all dimensions. 'Ihere are no protruding parts to catch or engage the work when the torch is used in conilned quarters to join closely spaced parts such' as the complicated assemblies oi' airplane structures or the like.

Modincations oi' my invention above described will occur to those skilled in the art, in view oi' the particular arrangement illustrated. I aim, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such modiilcations as fall within the true spirit and scope oi my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure byl Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. Welding apparatus comprising a pair oi relatively movable members each having therein a pair oi' parallel passageways which are aligned with' one another, a pair of metallic tubes having parallel portions extending through said aligned parallel passageways and .electrode-holding curved portions which project beyond said members and are angularly disposed relatively to one another at their ends, said parallel portion ci one of said tubes being attached to one of said members and movable lengthwise of the other of said members, said parallel portion of the other of said tubes being attached to the other of said members and movable lengthwise of said one oi' said members and said curved portions of said tubes being adapted to enclose electrodes which project from their said angularly disposed ends in angular positions relative to one another. a

`support for said members, means mounted on vvone of said members and acting on the other of said members for moving them relatively to one another along said parallel portions of said tubes,

and means for supplying electricity to said tubes.

2. Gas-arc welding apparatus comprising a pair of tube supporting members each of which has therein a pair of parallel passageways which v are aligned with one another, a pair of electrodeholding gas-conducting metallicv tubes having parallel portions located in said aligned parallel passageways oi' said members, said parallel portion of one oi' said tubes being attached to one of said members and movable lengthwise of the `other of said members-and said parallel portion of the other oi' said tubes being attached to the other of said members and movable lengthwise of' said one .of said members, a support for said members, telescoping screw members makinga threaded engagement with one another, one of said screw members being attached to one of said tube supporting members. and the other of said screw members being rotatably supported on and lengthwise movable with the other of said tube supporting members, and means ior supplying gas and electricity to said tubes.

A3. Gas-arc welding apparatus comprising a t pair oi members each having thereinparallel passageways which are aligned with one another',

vand one or more gas a pair of metallic tubes having parallel portions located in said aligned parallel passageways and electrode-holding curved portions which project therefrom and are angularly disposed relative to one another at their ends, said passageways in said tubes being larger than the electrodes said tubes are adapted to hold and having near the ends of said angularly disposed end portions electrode deilecting surfaces which frictionally engage and hold said electrodes, means for attaching one of said members to one of said parallel portions oi' said tubes which portion is movable through the other of saidl members, means for attaching the other of said members to the other of said parallel portions of said tubes which portion is movable through said one of said members, a handle within which are the inner ends of said tubes and in which said members are supported. means on said handle for moving one oi' said members relatively to the other of said members and said handle along said parallel portions of said tubes, and means extending through said handle and engaging the ends of said tubes within laid handle for supplying gas and electricity to said tubes.

4. Gas-arc welding apparatus comprising a pair of relatively movable members each having therein a pair of parallel passageways which are aligned with one another, a pair of electrodeholding gas-conducting metallic tubes having parallel portions located in said' aligned parallel passageways, said parallel portion of one of said tubes being attached to one of said members and movable lengthwise of the other of said members and said parallel portion of the other of said tubes being attached to the other of said members and movable lengthwise of said one ci said members, a handle within which are the inner ends of said tubes and in one end of which said members are located, one of said members being attached to said handle and the other of said members being movable -lengthwise thereof, telescoping screw members making a threaded engagement with one another, one of said screw members being attached to said handle and the other of said members being rotatably supported on and lengthwise movable with the other of said members, and means ertending through said handle and engaging the ends of said tubes within said handle for supplying gas and electricity to said tubes.

5. Gas-arc welding apparatus comprising a pair of metallic tubes having parallel portions terminating in electrode-holding curved portions which are angularly disposed relativeLv to one another at their ends, said passageways in said tubes being larger than the electrodes said tubes are adapted to hold, angularly disposed nozzles attached to said angular-ly disposed end portions of said tubes, said nomhes having passageways therethrough which are larger than the electrodes said tubes are adapted to hold, and a member rotatably adjustable in the passageway of each of said nozzles, said member having an eccentric electrode passageway which engages and positions an electrode extending through its said nozzle passageways which permit the ilow of gas through said passageway in its said nozzle.

6. Gas-arc welding apparatus comprising a pair of metallic tubes having parallel portions terminating in electrode-holding curved portions which are angularly disposed relatively to one another at their ends, said passageways in said tubes being larger than the electrodes said tubes are adapted to hold and having near th'e ends of said angularly disposed portions `of said tubes electrode deiiecting surfaces which frictionally engage said electrodes, angularly disposed nozzles attached to said angularly disposed end portions of said tubes, said nozzles having passageways therethrough which are larger than the electrodes said tubes are adapted to hold, a disk rotatably adjustable in said passageway in each of said nozzles, said disk having an eccentric electrode passageway which' engages and positions an electrode'extending through its said nozzle and one or more gas passageways which permit the ow of gas through said passageway in its said nozzle, a pair of relatively movable tube supporting members each having therein a pair of parallel passageways which are aligned with one another for the reception of said parallel p0rtions of said tubeaone of said members being attached to one of said tubes in one of said aligned passageways and movable lengthwise of the other of said tubes in the other of said aligned y passageways and the other of said members being attached to the other of said tubes in the other of said aligned passageways and movable lengthwise of said one of said tubes in said one of said aligned passageways, a handle in which the inner ends of said tubes and said tube supporting members are located, means for moving one of said members relatively to the other of said members and said handle along said parallel portions of said tubes, and means extending through said handle and engaging the ends ofsaid tubes within said handle for supplying gas and electricity to said tubes.

7. Gas-arc welding apparatus comprising a pair of metallic tubes having parallel portions terminating in electrode-holding curved portions which are covered with electrical insulating material and are angularly disposed relatively to oneanother at their ends, said passageways in said tubes being larger than. the electrodes said tubes are adapted to hold, anaularly disposed nozzles attached to the angularly disposed end portions of said tubes, said nozzles having passageways therethrough which are larger than the electrodes said tubes are adapted to hold, a disk rotatably adjustable in said passageway in each of said nozzles, said disl; having an eccentric electrode passageway which engages and positions an electrode extending through its said nozzle and one or more gas passageways which permit the iiow of gas through said passageway in its said nozzle, a pair of relatively mfgable tube supporting members each of which is formed of electrical insulating material and has therein a pair oi parallel passageways aligned with one another for-the reception of sai-d parallel portions ci said tubes, one of said members being attached to one of said tubes in one of said aligned passageways and movable lengthwise oi the other o said tubes in the other or" said alig" ed passageways and the other of said me ers being attached to the other oi said tubes n the other of said aligned passageways and indu-ble lengthwise of said one of said tu es in said one of said aligned passageways, telescoplng screw members making a threaded engagement with one another, one of said screw members being attached to one oi said tube supporting then 1ers and the of said screw members being r and lengthwise movable if tube supporting members, a handle oh insulating material within which e l tube supporting members and said parallel porrtions of said tubes are located, one of said tube supporting members being attached to said handle and the other oisaid tube supporting members being movable relatively thereto, a gas manifold in the other end of said handle, said manifold having passageways connected to each of said metallic tube ends in said handle, the connection between said manifold and said tube that is movable in said handle being made of exible material, insulated electrical conductors extending through said manifold and conductively connected to each oi said metallic tubes, said conductor attached to said tuba-.that is movable in said handle being flexible, means for supplying gas t'o said passageways in said manifold, andmeans for connecting a source ci' electric current and voltage to said insulated electrical conductors,

8. Gas-arc welding apparatus comprising a pair of metallic tubes having parallel portions terminating in electrode-holding curved portions which are covered with electricalinsulating mate- I rial and are angularly disposed relatively to one another at their ends, said passageways in said tubes being larger than the electrodes said tubes are adapted to hold and' having offset electrode engaging surfaces which rictionally engage and hold said electrodes in said angularly disposed end portions of said tubes, angularly disposed nozzles attached to said angularly disposed/end portions of said tubes, said nozzles having passageways therethrough which are larger than the electrodes said tubes are adapted to hold, a dlslrv supporting members formed ci electrical insulating material and having therein a pair of parallel passageways which are aligned with one another for the reception of said paralisi portions' o said tubes, one of said members being attached to one of said tubes in one of said aligned passageways and movable lengthwise of the other of said tubes in the other or said aligned passageways and the other of said members being attached to the other or" said tubes in the other of aligned passageways and movable lengthwise of said one of said tubes in said one or" said aligned passageways, telescoping screw members making a threaded engagement with one another, one or said screw members being attached to one of said tube supporting members and the other o said screw members being rotatably supported on and lengthwise movable with the other of said tube supporting members, a handle of electrical insulating material within which are the inner ends of said tubes and in one end of which said tube supporting members and said parallel portions o said tubes are located, one of said tube supporting members being attached to said and the other of said tube supporting members being oi metallic tubes, the conductor said tube that is movable in said handle being ilexible, a ilexible gas `hose one end of which is attached to said manifold and the other end of which is closed by a plug having a passageway through which gas is supplied to said hose, electrical conductors insulated from one another and extending through said plug and flexible electrical conductors insulated from one another and extending throughsaid hose, a terminal of each of said conductors being electrically connected to each of said conductors in said plug and said IRVING F. WELLER.

5 manifold. 

